U.K. Media Lobby Wants Government To Force Advertisers to Support Coronavirus Coverage
Desperate for revenue, online outlets try to use a crisis to overrule their customers’ judgment.
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Twitter's New 'Deceptive Video' Labeling Plan Immediately Abused To Attack a Silly Joke Ad from Bloomberg
Nobody is being misled by this obviously joking debate clip. But this sort of ginned-up outrage will be used to target political opponents.
Does Trump's Super Bowl Ad Signal More Progress on Sentencing Reform?
While the president seems sincerely concerned about "very unfair" drug penalties, it's not clear whether he thinks his work in that area is done.
Lamar Alexander, a Key GOP Senator, Says Trump's Delay of Ukraine Funds Was 'Inappropriate'—but Not Impeachable
Plus: Britain's last day in the European Union, political ads at the Super Bowl, John Delaney drops out of the presidential race, and more...
A Christmas Miracle: Washington Court Overturns Marijuana Sign Rules That Banned String Lights Spelling 'Pot'
A judge concluded that the restrictions violate the state constitution's free speech guarantee.
SCOTUS Declines To Intervene in Lawsuit Blaming Gun Maker for Sandy Hook Massacre
The plaintiffs now have to prove that Remington's advertising was not only "unfair or deceptive" but "a proximate cause" of the attack.
Twitter's Ban on Political Ads Will Help Incumbent Politicians Maintain Power
Attacks and threats by elected officials lead to inevitable self-censorship.
Corporate America Discovers the Limits of Political Posturing as a Marketing Tactic
Defining a company with political branding is risky business.
What 'Rights' Do We Have When We're Talking About Our Private Online Data?
Defining terms is tricky, particularly when governments with bad track records on privacy want to call the shots.
Judge Poised to Reject Suit by 90 'Jane Does' Who Say Salesforce Is Responsible for Sex Trafficking
The cases hinges on two laws—FOSTA and Section 230—that have been hotly contested in recent years.
Sandy Hook Promise Ad Hypes the Danger of School Shootings, Fostering Irrational Fears and Bad Policies
Official responses to these extremely rare crimes are grossly disproportionate in light of the risk they actually pose.
How Your Digital Purchases Could Serve the Perfect Surveillance Network
You may be surprised how many different companies know whenever you use your credit card.
Secret Memos Show the Government Has Been Lying About Backpage All Along
Sealed memos fought over in federal court last week show authorities have known for years that claims about Backpage were bogus.
The U.K. Banned a Cream Cheese Commercial and Car Commercial Due to Gender Stereotypes
The ads are the first to be banned since the new law went into effect in June.
Does Walmart Really Think a 30-Second Clip of Call of Duty Will Traumatize Us All?
Store orders ban of violent displays, but is still selling guns and video games.
The U.K. Has Banned 'Harmful Gender Stereotypes' in Advertisements
The move is an assault on free speech.
Sex Toy Company Sues New York Subway for Screwing With Its First Amendment Rights
In a letter to Dame explaining why the ads had been rejected, the MTA cited longstanding rules against ads "promoting a sexually oriented business."
Hempfest Sues Washington's Marijuana Regulators for Censoring Sponsors' Signs
The Seattle festival's organizers argue that banning signs referring to state-licensed cannabusinesses violates the state and federal constitutions.
Late Capitalism or Latest Capitalism: Game of Thrones Edition
Ads for sandwiches, toilet paper, condoms, and more riffing off Game of Thrones show how market culture is a glorious "perpetual meaning machine."
London's Absurdly Broad 'Junk Food' Ad Ban Puts Its Own Culture on a Starvation Diet
Iconic British foods like Christmas pudding and strawberries and cream get censored.
D.C. Water Spent Nearly $4,000 On Its Wendy the Water Drop Mascot
The feds aren't the only ones capable of designing cringe-worthy mascots.
FCC Commissioner Wants to Ban E-Cigarette Ads, Because 'Public Interest'
Jessica Rosenworcel overlooks the statutory and constitutional obstacles to her plan.
Last Year Saw 'Furthest-Reaching Attempt to Censor Online Speech' Since the 1990s, Say FOSTA Challengers
As the lawsuit against FOSTA hits appeals court, three essays about the law that everyone should read.
CBS Won't Air Medical Marijuana Ad During the Super Bowl
Blame misguided federal policies, not the network.
The Gillette Ad Tells Men Not to Hurt People. Why Is This Offensive?
"Toxic masculinity" is sometimes a scapegoat for the left, but this particular commercial makes no grand anti-male claims.
SEC Goes After Cryptocurrency 'Influencers,' Starting With DJ Khaled and Floyd Mayweather: Reason Roundup
Plus: the First Amendment problems with prosecuting Wikileaks and the trans troops ban is dealt another blow.
No, Feds Can't Force Backpage Founders to Give Up Longtime Lawyers, Rules Judge
The ruling is a major win for Backpage founders James Larkin and Michael Lacey, as well as a strike against government overreach.
Drug Companies, Scared of Regulation, Inch Toward Price Transparency
"Our vision for a new, more transparent drug-pricing system does not rely on voluntary action," says HHS Secretary Alex Azar.
Flashy Storefront Gun Ads Are Protected by the First Amendment, Says California Judge
Sen. Kamala Harris tried to limit the storefront speech of firearms sellers as California attorney general.
The Senate Accused Them of Selling Kids for Sex. The FBI Raided Their Homes. Backpage.com's Founders Speak for the First Time.
An inside look at how indie media veterans James Larkin and Michael Lacey became the targets of a federal witchhunt.
Surprise! The Ban on Digital Sex Ads Didn't Work
Plus: digital privacy concerns down 11 percent since 2015
This Is Your Hand on Opioids: Trump's 'Very Bad Commercials' Rely on Dishonest and Pernicious Scare Tactics
The anti-drug ads exaggerate the risk of addiction and falsely portray pain treatment as a highway to hell.
Bureaucrats Shut Down Your Kids' Lemonade Stands? Country Time Will Pay the Fines.
A summer promotion will cover fines and fees when your local code enforcers come calling.
Google to Purge Ads for Bail Bond Services
Company throws weight behind reformers who want to end the practice of jailing people who cannot afford to pay.
This is Your Brain Thinking About the Drug War
Trump wants to spend "a lot of money" on a new round of anti-drug commercials.
Why You Shouldn't Want Congress To Regulate Facebook & Other Social Media
We need to up our media literacy game, not delegate responsibility to politicians who have no idea what they're doing.
New Backpage Ruling Lays Bare Some of the Lies Undergirding FOSTA
The ruling allows a civil suit against Backpage to proceed for one of the case's three plaintiffs.
Rand Paul Threatens to Filibuster Trump's CIA Pick, Because Torture: Podcast
Plus: Facebook goes after Trump's social media firm, and Trump tiptoes toward a trade war.
Cambridge Analytica Was Doing Marketing, Not Black Magic
There's no reason for alarm (yet) over a Facebook data "breach" that benefited a firm with ties to Trump's campaign.
House Passes 'Anti Sex-Trafficking' Bill Opposed by Both DOJ and Trafficking Survivors
The bill makes "promoting prostitution" a federal crime, holds websites legally liable for user-posted content, and lets states retroactively prosecute offenders.
Behold the Work of Russia's Evil Advertising Geniuses
Satan is on Clinton's side, and check out this coloring book featuring a buff Bernie Sanders!
Should Lawmakers Care How Much Fish Is in a Sustainable Fish Finger?
Choose education over regulation when food companies abuse terms like "local" and "sustainable."
